4 Adar 1 5779 / 8-9 February 2019
Parashat T’rumah
Torah: Exodus 25:1 – 27:19
Haftarah: 1 Kings 5:26 – 6:13
Dedications and this week’s calendar are below. For more information about our community, visit: http://bnaihayim.com
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GIVE AND TAKE
"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to the Israelites, let them bring Me an offering; from every person, whose heart so moves him, you will take My offering.'" Exodus 25:1-2
The Hebrew word traditionally translated as "bring" really means "take". Clearly, God does not want the Israelites to take an offering - God wants them to give free-will offerings in order to build the Tabernacle. Reading literally, the commentary "Oznayim L'Torah" then asks, "Why doesn't the Torah state, 'They will give Me'?"
The author suggests that this is a hint at the difficulty involved in raising money for worthy causes. The problem may not be in finding those who are willing to give, but a failure to find people who are willing to "take", who will do the work of raising the money.
We are asked all the time to give money to causes, some worthwhile, some not. Yet many a deserving institution has failed because an insufficient number of people were willing to do the fundraising. Says Oznayim L'Torah, "Therefore the Torah commanded, 'Let them take' - that people should be willing to work to raise money for worthy causes." Similarly, many people are willing to participate in a variety of programs offered by their institutions, but few are willing to “take” the time to work on planning such programs.
Look at your synagogue, or some other cause for which you profess support. If you can give money or time for its activities, then give. If you are able to work to get others to give, then take. Let your heart move you to do God's work. "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Exodus 25:8.
Think upon this as we prepare for our congregation’s membership meeting this Sunday. Some may give, some may take. But all are needed to build our sacred community.
Have a wonderful Shabbat of happiness - it's Adar!
Grand Rabbi Abba Reuven ben Menachem Mendel Flom, Sh’lita
Av Beis Din – Chelm
Slivovitz Taste Tester
משנכנס אדר, מרבין בשמחה
From the beginning of Adar, we increase joy.
BT Ta’anit 29a
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CALENDAR
Candle lighting: 5:13 pm
Friday – Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows. B’nai Mitzvah of Adi and Eitan Buchnik – Mazal tov!
Saturday – NO Breakfast and Torah study – Resume February 16. Shabbat Morning Service - 9:30 am. B’nai Mitzvah of Adi and Eitan Buchnik – Mazal tov! Kiddush luncheon sponsored by Jodi West and Gabriel Buchnik follows.
Sunday – Religious School – 9:30 am. Meeting of the membership of Temple B’nai Hayim in association with Congregation Beth Meier – 10:00 am. If you are a current full (regular) member, please make every effort to attend this meeting to approve new by-laws, elect a new board of directors, and receive reports on the state of the congregation. Some board positions are still open.
Tuesday – Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.
Friday, February 15 – Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, February 16 – Breakfast and Torah study - 8:45 am. Shabbat Morning Service - 9:30 am. Kiddush luncheon follows.
Tuesday, February 19 – open auditions (no one turned away!) for this year’s Disney-themed Purim Shpiel – 7:00 pm. Purim dinner, shpiel and megillah reading will be Wednesday, March 20, beginning 6:00 pm.
Friday, February 22 – Shabbat Rocks! Service with Reb Jason and The Shul of Rock – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Friday, March 8 – Tot Shabbat Service. More info to follow.
Sunday, March 31 - Movie Time! Yentl, starring Barbara Streisand. 2:00 pm. More info to follow.
Saturday, April 13 – Sh’MA Service (Shabbat Morning Adventure). A Guitar-led, singalong service with Dr. Steve Pearlman. Designed for the whole family! More info to follow.
We need help in assembling and delivering Mishloach Manot baskets on Sunday, March 17. Please contact Susan Burke or Melinda Trauman if you can pitch in.
Next time you come to TBH/CBM, please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal items (no glass) for SOVA.
TBH Religious School and TBH Preschool have open enrollment. Enroll your children now! Contact the TBH office for information.
And be sure to tell your neighbors, friends, and relatives about our warm and welcoming community and our programs!
We are looking for volunteers for services: chant Torah or Haftarah, daven, lead English readings, and have aliyot and other Torah/bimah honors. Training available! Contact Rabbi Flom by e-mail for details and to sign up!
This d’var torah is offered in honor of Eitan Buchnik and Adi Buchnik, becoming b’nai mitzvah this Shabbat. Mazal tov!
This d’var torah is offered in honor of my sister and brother-in-law, Lorrie and Jay Goodman, in honor of their wedding anniversary on Thursday, February 14.
This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Elisheva bat Malkah, Ze’ev ben Adeline, Liora bat Sarah, Eilite bat Miriam, Sarah bat Devorah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Jerry Daniels, Beverly Erenbaum (Blimah bat Sarah), Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat Kreina), Bernard Garvin, Leah Granat, Brandon Joseph, Gabor Klein, Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Imanu), Marilyn Lee, Barbara Levy, David Marks, Frank Sorkin, Debra Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), Bernie Seeman, Irwin Silon, William Sragow, and Jonathan Woolf.
Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to add to this list or if there is anyone who may be removed from this list.
My weekly divrei torah are available through free subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will call! Cyber Torah list management:
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah”.
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail from the receiving address to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah”.
To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.
